India's top cricketers began a six-day training camp here on Monday that will include sessions with a software mogul, TV tycoon and world champions in badminton and billiards.

Skipper Saurav Ganguly and 35 other probables for the upcoming series against New Zealand and Australia will receive pep talks at the camp meant to hone their cricketing skills, the team's media manager Amrit Mathur said.

NR Narayanamurthy, who heads the Bangalore-based Infosys Technologies, one of the country's leading software exporters, will lecture the probables on "inspiration and ways to sustain a success story," Mathur said.

Pranoy Roy of New Delhi Television (NDTV), who runs a popular news channel, will focus on the nuances of handling the media.

And world billiards number one Geet Sethi will join former All-England badminton champion Prakash Padukone on how international sportsmen should conduct themselves.

"I don't think we could have lined up a better array of stars to speak to the boys," Mathur told AFP.

"The Infosys and NDTV chiefs are masters of their field and you can't find more humble sportsmen then Geet and Prakash.

"We looked at the requirements for our players and the areas where they needed to develop.

"We have been thinking about this for a long time and this camp presented the right opportunity to get everyone together under one roof," Mathur said.

The cricket-specific camp follows a 13-day conditioning camp devoted entirely to physical fitness which was held here earlier this month.

Vice-captain Rahul Dravid, Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, who missed the first camp due to their engagements in English county cricket, are back for the second camp.

The cricketers will take part in two local tournaments in mid-September after which the Indian team will be finalised for the two Test matches against New Zealand in October.

World champions Australia will join India and New Zealand in late October for a limited-overs tri-series before the Indians tour Australia at the end of the year for four Test matches.

The Indians have enjoyed a rare break from international cricket since May after being on the road for almost two years and Ganguly was delighted to be back in action.

"We needed this break, but I am quite excited about getting back on the cricket pitch," said Ganguly, who led India to the World Cup final in March.

"The first camp helped us get back into shape. We can now concentrate on batting, bowling and fielding."

Former greats Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar are also expected to assist national coach John Wright at the camp, Mathur said.